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No Fail Plan: How to Give Up Dairy (+ Not Miss It)

I have a friend who has been lactose intolerant forever. In the 15 years I’ve known her, every time I’ve seen her ask questions about a menu, turn down ice cream or complain of an accidental dairy disaster, I’ve thought, “Ugh, I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t eat dairy.” I always figured that since I had no obvious problem digesting it, that meant I had the green light to eat ice cream, yogurt and cheese until the cows came home, so to speak.

So, imagine my surprise when—after hearing about my year-plus of unbearable bouts of PMS, painful periods, and inexplicable fatigue—my naturopath prescribed going off of not just gluten (which I was prepared for), but most dairy products as well (which I was so not prepared for). If it’s possible to grieve for cheese, I definitely did; I left that appointment feeling like I was being punished rather than helped. But, thanks to a previous stint in veganism, my lactose-intolerant friend, a whole lot of Pinterest-ing, and an open mind, I got creative and tried to look at this as a new adventure. And it turns out that getting dairy out of my diet was one of the best things I ever did—for my health, energy levels, digestion and skin. Here are some tips from my experience on how to give up dairy, whether it’s because of an allergy, or it’s simply to lose weight or feel better.

Should You Give Up Dairy?

Everyone’s different, so of course going dairy-free isn’t a cure-all. But you may want to consider giving it up if you’re experiencing any of the following:

Digestive issues and bloating

Bad PMS

Heavy or irregular periods

Acne, especially cystic acne or breakouts around your mouth and chin

Weight gain, or inability to lose weight

Chronic sinus infections, congestion and colds

Do a Two-Week Trial

Try living without dairy for two weeks and seeing how you feel, then gradually re-introduce it. If you notice a difference, try going without for a month, and so on. It gets easier the longer you avoid dairy, so you may find yourself not craving it anymore.

Tips For Going Dairy-Free

Here are a few a-ha moments, tips and coping mechanisms I’ve experienced:

2. Replace Flavors and Textures, Not Foods

This is something that took me months to figure out. I want cheese all. the. time. And I finally realized that I was really craving was the umami flavor. So, what else has an umami flavor to it? Nutritional yeast, hummus, mushrooms, cured meats and fermented foods. Voila—craving crisis averted. If you get your umami fix from other sources, you may not rely on cheese as much for it. Same with creaminess: if you always put sour cream on tacos because you love the texture, try avocados instead. If ice cream is your weakness, a creamy but healthy smoothie can hit the spot. This vegan blueberry-chocolate ice cream (pictured above) is tops too!

3. Figure Out Your Limits

Depending on what’s going on with your body, your limits might be different. Some people can’t digest lactose (the sugar found in dairy), and some people are allergic or sensitive to casein (the protein in dairy). Some people are actually allergic to milk. A doctor, nutritionist, or naturopath can help you get to the bottom of what’s happening, and you can make choices from there. For me, casein was triggering an autoimmune condition I didn’t know I had; I can still “technically” have cream and butter, which contain only traces of casein, so I bend the rules there a bit. But cheese, milk, ice cream and yogurt? Off-limits. Some people do okay with non-cow cheeses like chèvre, manchego, or buffalo mozzarella. A lot of this is trial and error—and make sure to check with a health practitioner if you suspect you have an actual allergy or a more serious dairy intolerance.

4. Keep a Food Diary

By putting in writing what you eat and how it makes you feel, you can learn all sorts of things about yourself and become better at figuring out your own food issues. It’s like being a food detective! Try it out with our downloadable food journal template for a few days, and see what you learn.

5. Talk Yourself Out of Cravings

There are times where I think I’d give my right arm for a piece of cheese pizza or some nachos—mostly when I see other people eating it. Sometimes you just have to reason with yourself. You can have that pizza or nachos if you want. However, you’re choosing not to because your body doesn’t like it. There’s something else you can have instead, and it will be just as satisfying and not make you feel bad later. Nachos are fleeting; feeling healthy and having better skin is priceless.

6. Use Dairy Replacements With Caution

We’re fortunate to live in a vegan-friendly world where non-dairy options abound: coconut ice cream, almond milk, dark chocolate, soy creamer, non-dairy buttery spread…the list goes on and on. Many of them are healthier options than dairy, but just remember that a lot of these foods are processed and contain preservatives, often more so than dairy. If you’re using soy cream cheese, almond creamer, coconut yogurt, and rice milk ice cream every single day, that could come with its own set of issues. A lot of women who have hormonal issues are also discouraged from eating soy, since it can affect estrogen levels and metabolism…some of the same issues you were giving up dairy to solve. Commercial soy products often contain GMO soy, too. Many nondairy substitutes can be made at home, though, including nut milks and cashew cheese.

7. Choose Your Battles

I still break the rules occasionally. A couple weeks ago, in fact, I ate a few bites of pimento cheese, mac and cheese, and banana cream pie from my friends’ plates at an amazing Southern restaurant during my birthday dinner. That was overdoing it, and before I even got home I felt nauseous and could totally feel a zit forming under my skin. It was a special occasion though, so I made my peace with the decision.

If you absolutely can’t live without cream in your coffee, try giving up all dairy except for that, and only buy high-quality, organic cream. If a trip to Dairy Queen with the kids is a summer road-trip tradition, by all means have a Dilly Bar if you want one. The dairy police aren’t going to arrest you! Just keep tabs on how you feel, and when it’s worth cheating.

8. Make Sure You’re Getting Probiotics

If you’ve depended on yogurt for probiotics, you’ll want to seek out another source like kombucha, supplements, cultured veggies, or coconut water kefir.

9. Learn How to Navigate Menus

Don’t be shy about politely asking for items sans cheese, sour cream, or butter. Most restaurants will be happy to help you find non-dairy options, or to let you customize a menu item. Try vegan or Paleo-friendly places; Asian and Latin-American cuisines are especially easy to find dairy-free options.

I’m sure my issues didn’t stem completely from dairy, but I know giving it up has helped a ton. My skin—which was kinda-sorta fine with the exception of an epic breakout like clockwork right before my period—stabilized and cleared itself up within a couple weeks. (Now when I do get a breakout, it’s totally manageable and goes away on its own within a day or two.) My digestion and energy levels are much better, and my periods are more predictable and no longer life-interrupting. Plus, I lost a few pounds, which is always a bonus. Believe me, I still want cheese pretty much every day. But I want to feel better even more!

Ready to give up dairy? Try these alternatives!

Dairy Free Sour Cream

Top your tacos, nachos, and enchiladas with The Honour System cashew-based vegan sour cream. It’s creamy, tart, and preservative free!

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Nut Milk - 4 Ways

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Coconut coffee ice cream

Dive into dessert without the fear of a tummy ache. Coconut coffee ice cream (via Baked by Rachel) is so rich, creamy, and sweet you’ll never miss the cow’s milk. Top with whipped coconut cream for the ultimate dairy-free sundae.